As trauma continues to remain a prevalent influence in an individual’s life, they may find it necessary to want to alleviate the symptoms. Depending on the depth and weight of the trauma, some therapeutic outlets have enormous potential to heal the pain. Art therapy is an approach that has shown excellent results for someone who has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and quite honestly could become the relief they need.
Why Does Art Therapy Work?
The brain is stimulated by art therapy. The traumatic memories are stored on the right hemisphere of the brain and speech is positioned on the left. Interestingly enough, art is a right-brain activity that helps connect the dots between trauma and art. A person with trauma may find that an activity such as drawing is much easier than talking about what happened. Talking can involve vulnerability and unleashing unwanted emotions through reliving the trauma whereas art can act as a safe, non-threatening activity to help someone express themselves in ways that they may not be able to in words. PTSD is particularly amenable to art therapy when a person works with a qualified trauma-informed therapist who can guide them in the right direction.
Why Does Art Therapy Heal?
When words are not sufficient, art can push someone to find coping strategies and progressively get grounded in therapy. Starting fundamental creativity in drawing, coloring, or painting can get the ball rolling for processing trauma differently. The art can simulate a graphic timeline to reveal the pain from a different perspective and grant a new outlet for emotional release. Eliminating what is holding you back is the key to art therapy, which can help you to better communicate with yourself and others. Creativity improves self-discovery, self-esteem, and provides a sense of control that can allow a person to start healing from trauma.
With art therapy, the story told through creative activities can be transformed into something that happened to the person and not something that defines their whole existence. The terrifying experiences can diminish with time and creative expression. Using art therapy to treat trauma can offer some relief by helping to identify immediate symptoms and underlying conditions of PTSD. More than anything, art can be used to express what you need to focus on in your recovery. Art therapy can integrate the body, mind, and soul with a new outlook on life to prepare a person to deal with their PTSD.
At The Guest House Ocala, we offer residential treatment programs specialized for the care of traumas, addictions, and related mental health issues. Call us today at (855) 483-7800 for information on our trauma treatment programs and our concierge-style customization for every guest.